Willow
by Littlestladybug
Summary: Heimdall saw everything. He saw a distraught teenage girl, the relic that was housed in the school she went to, and the weird god Tyr who supposedly died in the last Convergence who won't leave her alone. What he didn't see, however, was a certain God of Mischief falling in love with a mortal. Starts from Thor, continues into The Avengers. Loki/OC.
1. Chapter 1

**So, this is my third fanfiction ever. I guess I had lots of ideas and wanted to get as many out as I possibly could.**

 **I would love a review (or two) to let me know what you guys think of it. And hey, maybe check out my other stories too if you like this one?**

 **Alright, now on with the show!**

* * *

Heimdall saw everything.

He saw Asgard, and he saw Alfheim.

He saw Tyr- King of Lowvenheim, a realm destroyed- leave the sanctuary of Freyr's castle on Alfheim and travel to Midgard.

He saw the young mortal girl- a teenager, the mortals called people her age- Tyr sat in front of at the plastic table of a derelict café.

He saw the tears running down her face as Tyr spoke to her, the aggression and tension within his body reminding Heimdall of a coiled spring- ready to snap at any second. It was barely restrained as she stood and walked away from Tyr, showing him her middle finger in a gesture that did not mean goodwill.

Intrigued by the girl who would be so blatantly rude to the god, Heimdall followed her home, watching as she climbed upstairs in a small dwelling, shouts from down the stairs causing her to cover her ears and cry.

When she got upstairs and into a small cupboard that Heimdall perceived to be her sleeping quarters, he saw her check her bruised wrists- bruises in the shape of fingers. After she had rubbed anti-bruising cream into and wincing each time her fingertips gently grazed over the bruises, she clambered onto her bed and fell asleep fully clothed, leaving Heimdall with more questions that needed answering.

As he pulled his sight away from the girl, a familiar magical presence pulled at him. It was near to the girl, and as he honed in on it, he caught a glimpse of the sign on the front of the two storey red brick building.

 _Monroe High School_.

There was a purple glow around the building, and Heimdall knew exactly what it was. Whistling softly, he called a guard into where he was standing.

"Tell the All-Father I wish to speak with him immediately. It concerns a relic."

* * *

"Loki!"

His brothers booming voice echoed in the training yard as Loki covered his mouth in an attempt not to laugh. Thor was about to fall right into his trap, one that he had spent all day preparing. Admittedly, the novelty of this had worn off years ago- Thor wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, but he wasn't stupid either.

"Loki- ARGH!"

Still. It was worth it, and it did pass the time well.

The sound of the rope being pulled taut allowed for Loki to come out of his hiding place- the weapons racks- to see Thor dangling by his ankle from the ceiling, arms folded over his chest as he glared at Loki.

"Well, Thor," he snickered, watching as Thor swung like a pendulum, his red cape covering his face. "I must say that the red-faced look really suits you."

"Brother, get me down from here," Thor said. In his anger, his face had turned a dangerous shade of purple as a combination of blood running to his head because he was upside down and because he was angry. "Father wishes to speak with us. 'Tis a matter of great urgency."

Loki sighed and drew a sword from the weapons rack, slicing it cleanly through the rope. Thor crumpled on the training yard, looking almost comical.

Loki started laughing but stopped when Thor grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and dragged him through the halls of the palace to the throne room.

Odin sat in the golden throne- rubies, emeralds diamonds and all manner of precious stones set into it. Frigga- his wife and Thor and Loki's mother- sat beside him, her usually smiling face serious.

"My sons," Odin said as Loki and Thor bowed. "Heimdall has found a relic on Midgard, at a school. He believes that Tyr may be after it."

"Tyr?" Thor gasped. "Isn't Tyr supposed to be dead? After all, everybody on Lowvenheim died in the last convergence."

"Tyr escaped to Midgard before the last convergence. He rules Alfheim in Freyr's absence," Frigga supplied, looking at Odin anxiously.

"If Tyr gets his hands on a relic, there will be an all-out war between Asgard and Alfheim."

Loki sighed. Thor shot him a dirty look, as did Odin. Frigga just smiled.

"So, how do we get it back?" Thor asked.

"Since we cannot tell exactly where the relic is being kept within the school, we shall have to send one of you two in first- Loki being the obvious choice."

"Why me?" Loki whined.

"I decree it, that is why," Odin said through gritted teeth. "You have one month. After that, I want the relic back in my Treasury. Understood?"

"Yes Father," Thor said, Loki muttering an affirmation beside him after Thor had elbowed him in the ribs.

"Excellent. Go and see Heimdall now," Odin ordered as the two princes turned to leave.

"And try to blend in!"

* * *

 **Let me know what you think! Leave a review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**And in this chapter, we meet Willow! Let me know what you think of her.**

 **Thanks go to Fairyfinder and erinblake18 for their positive reviews! Thanks guys- you seriously made me do a happy dance...**

 **To the story!**

 **~O~O~O~**

"Here is your timetable, Mr Larsson," the secretary at the front office said with a small smile, handing the new student with the well-defined face, emerald eyes and dark- almost shoulder length- hair standing before her a sheet of paper.

"Good luck on your first day."

"Thank you," Loki said, scanning the paper. Literature, yes, that he liked the sound of. Mathematics. Chemistry. Sport and Recreation sounded interesting enough. Perhaps it would help him learn more about the mortals. And Science- to teach him about the way mortals thought about the world.

He smiled at the name at the top of the page. Luke Larsson. Thor had scoffed at it- they had stolen Volstagg's surname. Thor also insisted on calling him Luke, claiming 'it will help you get onto character', when in actual fact it just irritated Loki to no end.

He slipped the paper into his backpack, folding it neatly into a rectangle beforehand, and marched out of the office and straight into a girl who was rounding the corner, her arms stacked high with paper.

He knocked her to the floor, the paper sheets flying up into the air and floating gracefully to the floor, while they lay there, scattered on the floor beside the girl. She let out a small groan of pain as she sat up and stared at the man who offered her his hand sheepishly. She took in and he helped her up off of the floor.

"Sorry," he said, a well-cultured voice in a sea of slang. "I did not see you approaching."

Her hazel eyes- more green than brown- stopped staring intently at his face, and instead turned their attention to the paper lying all over the ground. Loki went to help her pick it all up, but she held out a hand to stop him. He noticed the finger shaped bruises on her wrists and felt sadness rush through him.

"It's okay," she said, tugging her sleeve down as she realised that her bruises were showing. "They aren't important- they're just for the shredder anyway. Are you new here?"

"Yes," Loki said, remembering the background story he and Thor had made up the previous week. "I just moved here with my older brother. I'm Luke."

He held out his hand again- this time for shaking- and she smiled. Not just a polite smile, but a smile that lit up her entire face and the world around her.

Wiping a few strands of her chocolate brown hair from where they had escaped from her ponytail, she shook it warmly.

"I'm Willow," she replied, showing the paper into the shredder. Being a school shredder- one of very low quality- it predictably jammed. Willow kicked it, muttering Midgardian curse words at it. Loki smirked as she walked away quickly, grabbing his hand in the process.

"We were never here!" she hissed at him until they were a considerable distance from the office.

There was a bang from behind them, and a shriek of indignation. Willow started running, pulling Loki behind her.

"It's nice to meet you," she said, once she'd stopped and they were regaining their breath.

"It is a pleasure to meet you also," he chuckled. "Are you a senior?"

"Why Luke, how could you tell? Was it the intellect? The maturity? Or was it the fabulous fashion sense?" she asked, whirling around.

Loki grinned. "You're wearing the uniform in the brochure that pig of a man who professes to run this foul establishment gave to me, which says that your uniform is that of a senior."

She blinked at him before bowing mockingly. "You astound me with your wisdom and observation skills, O Great One."

Although she said it almost completely devoid of emotion, Loki detected the sarcasm in her voice. It made him like her more.

"I see all," Loki said in his best imitation of Heimdall.

Willow giggled, then noticed the weird stares she was receiving by passing by students. "Do you need someone to hang out with? I know how tough it is to be the new kid."

Loki smiled. "I would appreciate the company, of you would have me?"

Willow nodded, but waved her finger at him. "Don't think that this happens often," she tutted. "It's either a yes or a no."

"Well," Loki said, pretending to ponder it. "I will have to accept your offer of friendship. I don't just get offers like this everyday from somebody as lovely as you." He smiled.

It was Willow's turn to grin. "Well," she said eventually, after pretending to deliberate like Loki for a while. "When you put it like that, Luke, there is only one viable response. I would love to be your friend. Now, c'mon. We'll be late for class."

 **~O~O~O~**

 **It's kind of a short chapter. I apologise. I promise to put more in for the next chapter.**

 **So, now the pair have met! Would love a review to let me know what you guys think!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Yay for Willow! So, here is a little bit of a filler... it gets a little more interesting in a while. And I know it's fairly short- I apologise for that, but there will be more soon.**

 **Until then, fave, follow, review if you like it. Constructive criticism is appreciated.**

 **~O~O~O~**

Over the course of the next few weeks, Loki and Willow became fast friends. They were both mischievous, and had already spent ten lunch times in detention for pranking the principal and their Science teacher. Both of them hated science with a passion- Loki because magic made more sense, and Willow because none of it made sense,

Loki loved the fact that she was unlike her peers in the fact that she did not judge him harshly. Willow was remarkably intellectual and perceptive for someone of her age- and status as a mortal- not to mention she was extremely beautiful.

She had a boyfriend-a boy whom Loki could tell was what the Midgardians called 'a player'- and he was known throughout the school for his jealous rages and cheating ways. Almost half of Willow's so-called 'friends' had spent the night in his bed. Loki suspected Willow knew of it, but if she did, she never admitted it. Her radiance seemed to dull as soon as she was around her boyfriend, and Loki disliked the mortal almost immediately.

Willow, like Loki, was especially adept with words. She could manipulate a sentence to mean exactly what she wanted it to, and with one word could quash anyone's argument- it was this skill that got them out of detentions. Words were her weapon of choice, and she and Loki enjoyed verbal sparring often.

She was sad though- a fact that did not go unnoticed by him. After much pestering, she had finally told him that her family was messed up, and that she avoided home as much as she could.

Loki did not ask her to elaborate, but he knew exactly what she was going through.

 **~O~O~O~**

They had skipped that Thursday off of school, gone down the street, and used the mortal currency to purchase both Loki and Willow 'mobile phones' for communications when they weren't in school. She had blushed when he bought her a top of the range smartphone, and tried to put it back on the shelf when he wasn't looking, but he had stopped her.

"No. We're getting it. And the best plan to go with it."

"Why?" she whispered, staring at the smartphone in her hands and the large wad of cash in Loki's.

"Because that is what friends do, Willow," he said softly.

 **~O~O~O~**

After they bought the phones, they used the remaining money to pay for a train to the beach.

They found a small park right beside the ocean, with a van selling coffee in the corner.

"Coffee?" Loki asked, gesturing toward the van. Willow let out a nervous laugh.

"Ah, I should probably warn you that I go weird when I consume caffeine."

Loki strode up to the van, bought the strongest coffee they had, and watched as Willow drank it.

"Excellent. We can both be weird together," he said with a wink.

Willow smirked at him. "You meant the way you just said that, didn't you?"

"Yes. Yes I did."

"Luke, you watch too much T.V."

"Ain't that the truth," he said in a Southern drawl.

She chuckled, then perked up. "Want to go swimming?"

"Not particularly. It's a bit chilly out.

Willow laughed, and pulled her t-shirt over her head, kicking her shorts off into the sand. "Your loss!" she called, running over to the water- that now it had Willow running into it, _did_ look inviting.

Loki smiled at her before removing his own shirt, his jeans and chasing after Willow on the wet sand.

She giggled as he caught up with her, tossing her overhis shoulder and running into the waves. The water was surprisingly warm as he waded out, Willow shrieking indignantly as he unceremoniously dumped her in the water.

The foaming waves covered her completely, and when the water returned to being clear, Willow had vanished.

"Willow?" Loki called, before the woman in question leapt out of the water, tackling him from behind and pushing him under the waves, the pair collapsing on the sandbar in a mass of tangled limbs and sand.

He caught her eye as they both resurfaced, spluttering. The mischievous glint in his eye that was usually there when they were pranking people gleamed at her.

"No, no, no, no, NO!" she said as he picked her up and dumped her again.

She swam for the shore, Loki following closely behind as she stumbled onto the sand.

Loki tackled her and they both went sprawling, sand covering their bodies.

"That was caffeine?" he asked curiously as they lay there on their backs, looking up at the sky.

"Yep. Purely caffeine," she answered, glancing over at him.

He looked at her and grinned. "We should do that more often."

 **~O~O~O~**

 **Let me know what you think. Feedback is nice.**


	4. Chapter 4

**LANGUAGE WARNING! Other than that, it should be okay...**

 **Enjoy this chapter, and leave a review if you like it?**

 **~O~O~O~**

"I still don't understand it," Willow complained from where she was lying on the grass under the shade of the trees in the park near the beach they had been swimming at.

"Understand what?" Loki asked, looking down at her from where her head was lying on his torso.

"How can something come from nothing, started by nothing?"

The conversation had effectively turned to discussing the origins of the Universe. They had been studying Astronomy in their science class, and so sue them, the Big Bang theory was hard to comprehend.

Willow let out a groan and picked up a rock, pegging it as hard as she could at a tree at the other end of the park. It hit the trunk with a resounding thud.

Loki sat up quickly and grasped her wrists before she tried to throw anything else. He rubbed her back soothingly as she groaned again.

"I hate science. It makes no sense."

Loki considered her words, sitting back slowly with her held close to him.

"Have I told you the Norse creation story?" he asked her softly.

"Luke, Norse mythology is not quite the same as the Big Bang. For starters, it is not generally accepted by the science community as a rational explanation for the creation of the Universe."

"Neither is something from nothing," Loki said with a smirk, not wanting to reveal that the concept of the Big Bang was almost the same as magic.

They stared at each other for a moment, Willow determined to win the argument, but the tired look in her eyes eventually causing her to admit to her defeat. "Fine," she conceded.

And so Loki began regaling her with the many stories of the Norse gods, including the detailed personalities and backgrounds that went with them. And as they sat, he relaxed, and began to tell her the more personal stories, of him growing up with Thor,  
his friendships, Sigyn and his battles with Tyr.

She had sat here, entranced by his descriptions as he painted Asgard for her with his words.

"Asgard sounds like such a beautiful place," she said eventually when he had finished talking, looking at him with her eyes lit up by the smile on her face. It's a pity it doesn't exist."

"It truly does sound beautiful, doesn't it?" he said sadly, remembering his childhood, way before he lost the trust of everybody in the palace. Back when he was young and innocent.

Willow noticed the pain in his eyes and reached out to touch his hand. He flinched as her soft skin made contact with hers, but he grasped her hand tightly, lacing his fingers with hers and relaxing against her.

"Thank-you." He smiled at her warmly.

"Any time, Luke," she murmured. "If you ever need me, don't hesitate to find me. I will be here for you."

Loki chuckled. "Willow, I am proud to call you friend."

And as they lapsed back into their comfortable silence, he refused to acknowledge the other feelings that bubbled under the surface.

 **~O~O~O~**

As they got off the train, a familiar face was waiting at the station. Willow quickly released Loki's hand as his gaze flickered to the figure standing before them, arms crossed.

"You skipped school for this guy?" Willow's boyfriend- Jacob- spat as she stepped forward to meet him eye to eye.

"Yes, I did, okay?" she said, looking at Jacob in concern. "Don't worry, it wasn't like anything happened."

He backhanded her across the face, causing her to fall to the ground. Loki was by her side in an instant, punching Jacobin the face as he helped her up.

"You little slut," Jacob hissed. "Moving onto the next guy so soon?"

Loki grabbed Jacob by the collar of his shirt and pushed him into the shelter of the platform.

"Don't you _ever_ speak to her like that again," he growled.

"What's it to you, faggot?" Jacobspat as Loki threw him to the ground.

"I know what you do,Jacob You mess with her, mess with her friends to mess with her, and then mess with her some more.  
You hurt her, and not just physically. If you so much as _look_ at her the wrong way again, I will personally end you. Got it?"

Jacob just stared at him. Loki smashed him up against the shelter again.

"I said, ' _Got it'_?" he snapped.Jacobnodded, holding his palms up in a surrender gesture. Loki threw him to  
the ground.

"Get out of my sight, you pathetic piece of shit," Loki snarled asJacobran away.

Loki helped Willow up, checking out her cheek and then leading her to the nearest ice cream bar.

"C'mon," he said softly. "I think you need it."

 **~O~O~O~**

 **Let me know what you think!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Today is a proud day for me! I have written two chapters... and I apologise for the language in the previous chapter, but it's just how I imagined their confrontation going down. I didn't want to change the words, because when I did, it kind of lost its impact on the rest of the chapter. So, I'm sorry.**

 **Anyway, on with the story!**

 **~O~O~O~**

Thor was waiting for Loki outside of the school as both he and Willow ran up to the gate, their hair still wet.

Willow paused when she saw Thor as Loki's hand slipped from hers and he went to talk with his brother.

"How was it?" Thor asked, his eyes taking in both his brothers and Willow's wet hair, slightly damp clothing, and a bit of- was that _ice cream_?- on their clothes.

Thor had been asking the same question every single day for the past three weeks. They still hadn't found the relic, as the magic was spread all over the school.

"Good, I guess," Loki replied, glancing at Willow, who was fiddling with the new phone he had bought her just that day.

Thor's face split in two with a massive grin. "Excellent!" he boomed, clapping Loki on the shoulder. His brother winced. "Have you found any fine mortal women yet?"

"No!" Loki snapped. "I have no idea why you think I need a woman, Thor. I am only here for the relic. That is all."

A hand tentatively touched his arm, startling him.

"Luke?" Willow asked.

Ignoring Thor's irritating smirk- he decided he would deal with that later- he turned to face Willow with a smile on his face.

"Hey Willow," he said casually. "Have you met my brother? This is Tom."

"Hello, Willow!" Thor boomed. Loki smirked as Willow winced, but waved at the overenthusiastic oaf that was Thor.

"Is something wrong?" he asked as she continued to stare.

"No," she replied softly, then shook her head as if dislodging a wayward thought. "I came over to check on you and see if we could swap numbers cos I really need to bounce ideas off someone who actually knows what they're doing on this stupid bloody Literature assignment."

Loki dug into his pockets, producing the phone he had bought earlier that day and holding it out to Willow, who in turn passed her phone to him.

She typed in a number and selected the camera icon.

"C'mon, Luke! Be brave! Take a selfie with me!"

"I don't particularly like selfies," Loki muttered.

Willow made chicken noises, causing Thor to chuckle. "Is somebody scared?" she teased.

Loki snatched the phone out of her hand and stood beside her, smiling as he wrapped his arm around her waist.

She smiled up at him as he clicked the 'take photo' button.

"Perfect," she said, looking at it with a small grin on her face.

Thor noticed the smile as she sent it to her phone, and he shot Loki a meaningful look. Loki shrugged, smiling down at Willow.

A bus pulled up and students rushed to get on it.

"I'll call you later!" she yelled, waving as she dug through her bag in search of her pass. He waved back, watching as the bus left.

Thor, noticing the lovesick look on his brothers face, chuckled. "You are so very much in love with her."

"Shut up, Thor!"

 **~O~O~O~**

"No," Willow said, slamming her bag down on the kitchen table. The social worker who sat there flinched, but was otherwise unfazed.

"He is your father. He has a right to see you."

"Did _anybody_ take into account that he is the reason I am a foster kid?" Willow growled.

"The court deemed him a non-threat to society," the social worked answered plainly.

"And yet, he did this to my wrists!" Willow shouted, thrusting them out for the social worker to see.

The woman peered at them. "I don't see anything. You can't keep skipping your weekly visits, or else we will have to give him the one day and night a month like he got with his visitation rights, and move you to be under the care of him."

Willow placed her hands on her hips, initiating a staring contest with the social worker.

The social worker won.

 **~O~O~O~**

"Thor?" Loki called down the hallway of the small apartment that they were sharing.

His brother poked his head through the door. "Yes, Loki?"

"I think I wish to remain on Midgard at the end of the month," he said in a rush.

Thor smiled. "This is about the mortal girl, isn't it?"

Loki blushed slightly. "She's… different to Asgardians."

Thor shook his head. "You know that she will grow old and die while you stay young."

"Unless-"

"No, Loki! You have spent only one month with her in your company!"

"And yet she is a better friend in that short amount of time than most of our Asgardian friends."

Thor looked as though Loki had slapped him. To insult ones comrades was equivalent to a slap.

"We care for you, Loki," he said softly. "I do not wish to see you hurt, especially if Father does not allow the marriage."

"Why would he not allow it? Willow is kind-hearted and beautiful enough to become Asgardian!"

Thor sat down on the end of Loki's bed, his expression serious.

"Do you remember that lesson we had with Father on the Nine Realms?" he asked gently.

Loki looked taken aback. Not only had Thor admitted to paying attention in their lessons when they were children, but Loki was going to have to answer his question truthfully.

"No," he replied honestly, the first time in a very long while.

"You asked him why we could not marry mortals. To which Father replied: 'You may marry a mortal, but the price is too high for me to allow it, unless the circumstances are dire.'"

Loki racked his brains for something that would make even his father unwilling to allow a marriage. He gasped.

"A part of their soul."

Thor nodded. "A part of their soul in exchange for an eternal bond. So think, would you be willing to give that up for your mortal?"

Loki thought about it for a second.

"Would you, Loki?" Thor pressed.

"I don't know," Loki stuttered.

Thor gave him a half-smile. "Then it is settled. You shall say your goodbyes at the end of this week to your mortal, and we shall return to Asgard with the relic."

He stood up and walked to the door.

"Thor?" Loki asked hesitantly, his brother halting by the doorframe.

"Yes, brother?"

"What if she's the one?"

Thor spun around. "She might be the one, Loki, but the price is too high for even you to pay."

 **~O~O~O~**

 **Longer chapter... better content? Let me know! Feedback is very much appreciated.**


	6. Chapter 6

**So, I have officially hit 250 views just for Willow! It makes me excited, because it means that people like it.**

 **Thanks to Fairyfinder and Wolfe's Girl for reviewing! You guys made my day!**

 **And if you have any questions (about the story, characters, or even what I had for lunch [which I do expect some smartass to ask]), leave a review.**

 **To the story!**

 **~O~O~O~**

"No, Dad," Willow said, crossing her arms over her chest. "The conversation is over. I'm leaving."

Her father glowered at her from across the table.

"You'll regret this, Willow! You have no idea what you're walking away from! I have unimaginable riches!" he shouted after her.

Willow spun around and stuck her middle finger up at him.

"Go screw yourself!" she growled. "I'm not going to live with you. _Ever_."

She stormed down the street, absolutely furious. Her house was only three blocks away from the café, but as she rounded the final corner onto her street, a hand reached out, grabbing her and pulling her roughly into an alleyway. She screamed, but a hand clamped over her mouth, muffling it.

She groaned as something collided with her head and sent her into the wall.

"Seeing as I can't have you then, dear daughter, I will have to kill you," her father's drunken voice chuckled in the dark. Willow let out an involuntary whimper before white hot pain ran up her side.

"You're a sicko!" Willow moaned, letting out a scream of pain as he twisted the knife he had slid into her ribcage.

"And you're going to die slowly now," he said, pulling out a gun. Willow could only stare at him. A gun? How had he got his hands on a weapon while being out on parole? His hands stayed steady as he intentionally aimed it at her right side.

He squeezed the trigger twice- one hitting her left arm and the other hitting her abdomen.

A police siren blared as the car sped past the alley they were in. It lit up her father's face monetarily with its bright red and blue lights, giving him a maniacal look.

"I need to go check in with my parole officer, baby girl. I'll be back for you later. Don't go anywhere on me, okay?"

Willow let out a groan and slumped back against the wall.

As her father left the alleyway, she dug into her pocket to retrieve the phone that Luke had bought her. It only had one number in it, but it was the one she needed.

 **~O~O~O~**

Loki was doing the last bit of his infernal Maths homework in his bedroom to that band that Willow had introduced him to the other day- Panic! At the Disco- when the phone on his bedside table had begun to vibrate, causing him to jump. Thor had been lecturing him about the mobile phone in his bedroom all week, but he had ignored him.

The photo of him and Willow flashed up on the caller ID. Loki smiled and pressed the answer button.

"And to what occasion do I owe the pleasure of your call?" he asked cheerfully as he put the phone to his ear.

"Luke?"

Her frazzled voice wiped the smile off his face. She sounded scared. And hurt.

"Willow? What's wrong?" he asked urgently. Thor appeared in the door as he heard Loki's voice.

"I'm so sorry, Luke, but you were the only person I could call- my fingers have kind of gone numb and I didn't want to call Emergency, and-"

"Willow," Loki interrupted. "What's wrong?"

On the other end of the line, Willow took a deep, shuddering breath.

"My dad," she whispered. Loki swore that his heart stopped momentarily before restarting to beat at two times its usual rhythm. "He followed me home- he kind of shot me, stabbed me, and now I think I'm dying."

Loki locked eyes with Thor as he jumped out of his chair and pulled on a shirt.

"Don't move. Give me your location and I'll be right there."

 **~O~O~O~**

He found her slumped against a wall, dressed in a green hoodie and blue denim jeans.

Except that now the top of her jeans were stained red with her blood, and there was the silver of the stainless steel of a knife handle protruding from her stomach.

She winced as Loki flashed his borrowed torch in her direction. She held a hand up to shield her eyes from the glare.

"I read somewhere that removing the knife is a bad idea," she said wryly, biting down on her lip as Loki moved her head to face him. "However, I don't think that the knife is really my kind of fashion accessory."

He gently rolled the base of her hoodie to reveal the two bullet wounds and the stab wounds. His hand slipped in something warm and sticky. It was blood. _Her_ blood. And judging by the amount of blood that was there, it was a miracle that she was still alive.

"I mean, bleeding out in an alleyway? How much more cliché can you get?" Willow joked, trying to lighten the mood.

"Not as cliché as the psychotic father thing," Loki replied, his hands trying to stem the blood flow.

She pushed his hands away, smiling weakly.

"I know I'm dying, Luke. No point trying to delay the inevitable, right?"

He ignored her and went back to pressing her hands against his stomach.

"Brother!" Thor's voice boomed. Willow smiled at the blonde man who entered the alleyway.

"Hi Tom," she said brightly. Loki shushed her as Thor crouched down beside Loki.

"Don't speak, focus on staying alive for now, okay?" Loki said.

Willow laughed humourlessly. "You really are bad at lying, you know that, right? Nobody can survive losing this much blood."

"Thor, do you remember the conversation that we had the other day?" Loki asked quietly.

"Thor?" Willow asked curiously, squinting at what Thor was wearing. Her eyes widened as Loki realised that his brother was wearing his Asgardian armour.

Willow smirked at Loki. "So, want to tell me your actual name, Luke?"

He sighed. "My name is Loki. Brother to Thor, known as the Trickster God."

Willow snickered. "I knew it! You were _far_ too into Norse Mythology. Though, I couldn't find the story about the rabbits."

Thor looked at Loki in horror.

"Brother, I thought we agreed to never speak of that incident ever again!"

"It is not my fault you asked me to turn you into a rabbit to surprise Sif."

"You said that she loved rabbits, not that she was terrified of them!"

"I especially love the fact that Thor had to go into hiding," Willow smiled. Loki chuckled, but his face paled as Willow coughed and blood lined the edge of her lips.

"We should get a Midgardian healer," Thor said.

"It is too late, Thor," Willow informed him with a sad smile.

Loki hated blood- the smell of it, the colour, what large amounts of it meant.

There was blood pooling around Willow, so much that Loki felt like he was going to drown in it. It was all over his hands and the metallic smell of it was everywhere.

Willow coughed again, blood wetting her lips and turning them a vibrant red.

Loki caught his brother's hand, his eyes pleading with Thor.

"We have to, Thor," he said, watching his brother sigh.

"Loki," Willow whispered, gripping his bloodied hand with her own. "I don't want to die."

"You won't," he said grimly, gritting his teeth together as Willow let out a cry of pain as he picked her up.

Thor let out a strangled gasp as he realised what Loki was planning to do. "Loki! You aren't seriously considering-"

"Yes, Thor," Loki replied. "I am. Heimdall? Open up the Bifrost. This is extremely urgent."

 **~O~O~O~**

 **I hope you liked it! Leave a review if you did (or didn't- that's cool with me too).**

 **Feedback is encouraged.**


	7. Chapter 7

**So, I received no reviews for my last chapter, which was mildly disappointing, but oh well.**

 **I hope you guys like this chapter! If you do, leave a review.**

 **~O~O~O~**

Loki was not fazed in the slightest by the spears pointed in his direction as soon as they were on the bridge.

"Where are we?" Willow murmured from where she lay in Loki's blood-spattered arms. Arms covered by _her_ blood.

Blood seeped from her stomach and stained his clothes, dripping onto the bridge.

"Asgard," Loki replied as Thor appeared on the rainbow bridge from where he had been talking to Heimdall. Loki addressed the guards as Thor sidled up to him and Willow.

"We need to see the Allfather urgently," he informed them. "This girls life depends on it."

"And why should we care about the life of one mortal girl?" a guard sneered.

"I don't like this guy," Willow whispered faintly to Loki, as he grinned and then looked at Thor for assistance. Thor was glaring at the guard.

"Because _I_ care about the life of this one mortal girl," he growled.

The spears were lowered promptly.

"You may proceed, Prince," the sneering guard said, looking thoroughly cowed by the way Thor had acted toward him.

Loki sent him a withering glare as they passed, his gaze snapping down to Willow when she let out a whimper of pain as they began walking. Her face was screwed up in concentration, and her fists were clenched tightly.

"Willow?" he murmured gently. "How bad is it? Honestly?"

She looked up at him, her hazel eyes dulled significantly by the pain. "Tired," she whispered, her eyelids beginning to droop.

"Willow, stay with me," he said forcefully, squeezing her tightly to him. "I have lost many loved ones, and Hel be damned if I lose you too."

Thor grasped his arm, tugging at him, and together, they began running to the palace, the guards opening the doors sharply at Thor's cry of 'Make way!' as they went.

"Is he in the throne room?" Thor asked a nearby maid as they passed her, running hard. The maid nodded quickly, and then ran off in the direction of the kitchens, presumably to start the gossip.

"Come on, Willow," Loki whispered. "Just a couple more minutes."

Willow groaned , her lips unable to form words.

"Father!" Thor boomed, flinging open the doors to the throne room, Loki hot on his heels. "I come to you with a matter of great urgency!"

"Please, you must save Willow!" Loki cried as he rushed forward with Willow.

He noticed, to his horror, that the woman in his arms was coughing up blood.

"There is no place on Asgard for a mortal girl," Odin said, turning away to signal that it was the end of the conversation. Willow coughed again, and as Loki looked down at her- knowing that she was going to hate him for the rest of her life if he played this card- and he played the card.

"I CHOOSE HER TO BE MY WIFE!" Loki yelled.

Odin froze, as did Thor. The silence in the throne room was almost deafening.

"I will do anything to protect her, to keep her safe," Loki continued softly. "Please, Father. I am begging you to consider this, for her sake."

Willow curled into him, muttering something incomprehensible.

"Thor, can you vouch that Loki truly wishes to pursue a life with this mortal?" Odin asked eventually.

Thor nodded. "They both have strong feelings for one another."

Odin turned to Loki. "Loki, you are aware that this is an irreversible decision?"

Loki nodded. "I understand the consequences of my actions, but I wish to keep her safe and healthy."

He looked down at the small figure in his arms and smiled softly at her.

Odin sighed. "Very well. I shall perform the ritual here now. A proper wedding will be planned. Oh, and Loki?"

"Yes?"

Odin smirked. "Her reaction when she wakes up will be payment enough."

 **~O~O~O~**

Pain. Willow was drowning in it, swimming in circles trying to fight the sinking until she was exhausted. She knew she was dying.

She was listening to an unrecognisable chant while she was curled up in Luke's- no, _Loki's_ \- arms.

He laced his fingers with hers, and lowered his mouth to where it was level with her ear.

"Say 'I agree', Willow," he murmured. "This will save you, I promise."

"I… agree," she whispered. It surprised her over how much energy was needed to say those two words.

No sooner had she uttered them did a feeling a euphoria rush through her body, replacing the pain.

The euphoria was quickly replaced by warmth, which in turn became a burning hot pain at the base of her spine as it travelled up her body. She let out a strangled cry before blacking out completely.

 **~O~O~O~**

"I must say, Silvertongue, that she is a most beautiful bride. But I must ask, as Thor is a pretty terrible observer- was marriage ever going to be on the table?"

Loki turned to the Allfather, shock contorting his face. Willow lay in his arms, the changes of the spell still forming her new body. As he moved her head onto his shoulder, her hair fell away from where it was covering her left ear.

The tip was pointed.

Both men exchanged shocked glances, then resumed their conversation.

"She was never scared of me, or anything. She actually had the nerve to mock Thor while she had a knife in her stomach. She makes me laugh, and is always there when I need a friend. If I had got to know her for a little longer, I probably would have courted her, then proposed."

"So, that's a yes?" Odin asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It's a yes," Loki replied smoothly.

Willow stirred in his arms, whimpering a little. Loki smoother her hair back away from her forehead and pressed his lips to the exposed skin.

"What of your enemies?" Odin asked. "If you truly loved her, you would let her go so that she is safe."

"Yes, but if I had, she would have died tonight."

Odin smiled.

"My son, I had given up hope of you ever finding love. I thought that after Sigyn, you may have given up completely on it. I now see that this mortal may offer you hope. Love her well, Loki."

And as Loki carried Willow to his room, his fathers words of wisdom continued to ring in his ears.

 **~O~O~O~**

 **So, what did you think? Feedback is appreciated.**

 **Oh, and Happy New Year, everyone! Hope that 2016 is a good one!**


	8. Chapter 8

**So, in case you were all wondering, this is the product of me** ** _really_** **not wanting to do my stupid Literature essay and instead procrastinating by writing out this bit of the story that has been circulating around my head rather than write about Pygmalion- the play, not the Greek weirdo.**

 **Thanks to all the follows and favourites, and if you like it, leave a review for me! You have no idea how much it means to know that somebody else enjoys the story as much as I enjoy writing it!**

 **~O~O~O~**

Loki placed Willow gently on his huge, four poster bed, carefully arranging her awkwardly positioned limbs into something more comfortable.

He lay down on the bed beside her, propping himself up on one elbow as he studied her whilst she slept.

A strand of hair flopped in front of her nose, causing her to mumble and brush it out of the way.

She was utterly beautiful in sleep, Loki decided, as he watched her. She looked positively angelic.

Willow rolled over to face him and her hand stretched out, her fingertips searching for something. That something, he realised, was him. He grasped her hand in his, marvelling at how much smaller it was compared to his.

She relaxed, a small smile gracing her features as she curled into him.

Loki grinned as he gently stroked the knuckles of her hand. She was just so… perfect. Even asleep. He wondered what she would be like when she woke.

A knock on the door startled him out of his musings.

"Enter," he said softly, watching as Thor strode purposefully into his chambers.

Thor's eyebrows rose dramatically at the sight of Willow nestled close to Loki's chest, and the tenderness at which his brother glanced at Thor's new sister-in-law.

"You have made a good choice, brother," he said, grinning. "She is truly radiant."

When his brother smiled joyfully at him, Thor felt his heart swell with happiness for Loki.

After many years, Loki had finally found the one, the one woman who made him complete.

A noise out in the hallways made them both look up sharply. Loki smirked, whilst Thor internally cursed.

"Sif dared you to come in, didn't she?" Loki asked. Thor blanched.

"They are simply curious," he stated, as if that alone explained it.

"Tell them to wait until she is awake fully," Loki ordered.

There were giggles from outside. "Oh, he is even protective!" he heard Sif exclaim.

"Thor. Out," he said sharply. Thor smiled.

"I will let Lady Willow get sufficient rest now. Good luck with explaining todays events to her without getting hurt."

Loki stared at Thor. "How did you know that she would do something like that?"

"Because she has a warriors spirit, yet a scholars mind. She is going to hurt you, but she will ultimately realise what you both know- you love the other."

Loki's eyes widened in surprise at what his brother had said. "That is possibly the smartest thing I have heard you say in years."

Thor shrugged and moved over to the bedroom door, savouring the feeling of surprising his brother, who was usually one step ahead, two most days.

"I have my moments," he replied as nonchalantly as he could, but thus was waster on Loki, for his brother had already turned his attention to Willow.

Loki heard the door close as Thor left. He stroked Willow's hair soothingly, watching as she slept before he too fell asleep.

 **~O~O~O~**

 _"You have made a grave mistake, mortal," a voice hissed in Willow's ears. "He will lead to the deaths of many. He is beyond redemption. And your foolish decision to bond with him will haunt you forever."_

 _"Who the hell are you talking about?" Willow yelled at the shrouded figure standing opposite her._

 _"Loki," the figure snarled, their body multiplying until they completely surrounded her._

 _"Loki, Loki, Loki," they chanted as Willow spun around, looking for an escape option. A sword appeared in their hands. One stepped forward, levelling the sword with Willow._

 _"We must kill the wife of the Trickster."_

 _As each copy lifted their sword, Willow struck out at them, thrashing as she was restrained from behind and she tried to escape from the faceless voices._

 _When the first blade pierced her skin, she shouted the first name that came to mind._

 **~O~O~O~**

"Loki!" Willow screamed, fending off invisible assailants from beside him on his bed. "NO! STOP!"

Her anguished pleas turned into sobs as Loki sat bolt upright in the bed. He quickly turned his attention to the beautiful woman lying beside him, tears streaming down her face as she screamed.

"Stop, please!" Willow moaned before letting out another scream. "He has nothing to do with this!"

She struck out at something only she could see. Loki reached out and gently pinned her arms and legs down with enough pressure to restrain her, but not to hurt.

"Willow," he crooned. "Time to wake up."

She groaned before her back arched up and a cry of pain escaped her lips.

"Willow!" he shouted, more concerned by the look of pain on her still-sleeping face instead of the volume of his voice. "Wake up! Come on, sweetheart! It's just a nightmare!"

Her eyes snapped open, showing only terror and fear as she stared up at Loki, her chest heaving.

"Loki!" she gasped, burying her face in his chest and sobbing hard.

Loki rolled over onto his back and pulled her in close to his side, hugging her tightly to him.

"Hey, it's okay," he murmured, kissing the top of her head. "I won't let anything hurt you."

He held her close as the sobs continued, her tears wetting his shirt.

"They… didn't have faces. They wanted to kill me, because of _you_ ," she said between her chest wracking sobs.

"Shh," he said gently. "It's alright. You're safe now."

Eventually the sobs died down, and the pair sat in silence, Willow curled up by Loki's side as if it were the most natural thing ever.

"I never asked, mainly because I was unconscious, but how did I end up living And sleeping in your bed?" Willow asked, her voice muffled by his shirt.

Loki froze and gulped, looking down at Willow.

"Ah, you see, that's a long story," he began nervously.

 **~O~O~O~**

 **Let me know what you think! Leave a review if you like!**

 **I will try and update as much as I can, but I make no guarantees because of the hectic lifestyle that I have because of Year Twelve this year.**

 **Plus the teachers at my new school really like giving out small trees for our homework.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Okay, so here is my first update in… *cringes* about five months. I'm sorry for it being so sporadic, but I actually had time on my hands this weekend (what with being sick and all), and my "flourishing" social life (jokes, I don't even go anywhere anymore), combined with my very constrictive Year Twelve life (not a joke) means that my stories pay the price, unfortunately.**

 **So, anyways, here is the next chapter. Small language warning- but only two words (I think).**

 **Please leave a review if you like it! I would love to know what you all think, seeing as the last update got something like four hundred views and only two reviews…**

 **~O~O~O~**

"So, I'm married to you now,' Willow said slowly when Loki had finished explaining. "Does that mean I'm stuck with you forever?"

"Unfortunately for you," he murmured, avoiding her eyes. "It was the only way to save you."

"Hang on- does that make me a goddess?" she asked, a confused look crossing her face.

He chuckled and kissed the top of her head, the tension in her muscles disappearing as he felt himself relax against her. "Yep."

"Seriously?" she squeaked. "No offence, but I quite liked being human."

"Willow, it was the only way to save you. You were dying in my arms- I had no other options and you are too important to me to let you die."

Willow moved away from him, standing up quickly.

"We've known each other for what- a month?" she laughed. "And in this short period of time, you decided you wanted to marry me?"

"Willow, please," Loki began, watching as she grew agitated, getting that look on her face that Loki had begun to recognise.

"This is bullshit!" she shouted, kicking one of the walls.

Loki lost the smile, sitting up in his bed. "Would you have preferred to die?" he asked angrily.

"Yes!" Willow yelled. "I don't know what I was spouting when I was half-dead, but I would have preferred it."

"By Odin!" Loki yelled, adding a few swearwords Willow was yet to encounter.

She ran a hand through her hair distractedly, and touched the tips of her ears.

"Why the fuck are my ears pointed?" she screamed back.

Thor- who was walking over to his brother's room to check on Willow and see how she was- heard the screaming and wisely backed away.

"Because you're Asgardian now, that's why! You're a demigod!" he shouted. "Your mortal life has ended- as well as your connection to Midgard! You belong with me now!"

She took a step back, the hurt expression on her face internally wounding him.

"I wish I'd never met you," she whispered, tears spilling down her cheeks.

"Willow," he began, but she held out a hand to stop him from getting up.

"No, Loki," she said softly, striding over to the door. "I need a while to think."

She wrenched the door open and ran outside into the hallways, Loki getting up to follow her before the door slammed shut in his face.

He heard her sob once or twice before the sound moved away and he found he could open the door, just to see the brown curtain disappearing into the labyrinth of corridors that made up the castle.

Loki sank to his knees and cried.

 **~O~O~O~**

Loki needed answers, and he decided after many minutes of staring vacantly at the wall that he wasn't going to get any of them sitting in his bedroom.

With no real reason or intention in his walk, he wandered around the palace, lost in his own thoughts. Most of his thoughts were of Willow- whether he needed to find her, whether she was okay and what he was going to do to make her feel better. He pushed those to the side, allowing himself to instead think of the whispers he had heard between his parents, the one bit that puzzled him the most. He continued wandering, guards opening doors for him as he came to them without him even realising. He didn't work out where he had been walking until he came face-to-face with the artefacts within the Treasury.

During Thor's coronation almost three months ago, it had been broken into by the Frost Giants, the Destroyer aiding Odin in defeating them and causing his older brother to fume for weeks, before coming up with a hare-brained idea that nearly got them all killed.

The artefacts and relics glowed their bright and alluring colours as he slowly approached them. They were tempting to touch, to hold. To claim as his own. With all the power contained within that room, he could rule the Nine Realms. While Loki knew that the smallest touch could tear even the strongest mage there was apart in a second, he still wanted to take that chance- to make Odin proud. And for a second, he was tempted to.

But for what purpose? His wife hated him, four entire realms hated him, and he was pretty sure that after the stunt he pulled in Jotunnheim where he saved Thor's sorry ass- his brother still managing to get banished after calling his father a fool- Thor hated him too.

His fingers gently brushed over the stone plinths the relics sat upon, pausing as he reached a glowing blue one that radiated cold. It was as if someone else- or _something else_ \- took control of his mind temporarily as he reached out and grasped it.

An invisible force slammed into his mind as he felt his entire body become mind-numbingly cold, his conscience taking a backseat as something more primitive, more raw, came upon him.

And as suddenly as it had taken possession, it disappeared, just in time for Loki to see his father collapse on the stairs in front of him. _Not my father_ , he reminded himself.

"Father?" he shouted, running to where Odin lay in a crumpled heap. His eyes were shut, his breathing shallow, and the slight golden light that shone from his skin suggested that he had again approached the Odinsleep.

"Guards?" Loki shouted frantically, pulling his father- _not my father_ , he chided himself yet again- into his arms. His mother had told him what to do should Odin ever go into the Odinsleep, but all of that was forgotten in his blind panic. "GUARDS!"

A soldier pushed open the door hesitantly, eyes widening as he saw the scene before him. He yelled for more to join them, and within a few minutes the whole Treasury was a hive of activity.

 **~O~O~O~**

The healers carried Odin away, leaving Loki with Heimdall- who had left his station- Sif, Hogun and Volstagg. Fandral was absent, probably off flirting with one of the maids elsewhere in the palace. Sif placed a hand on his shoulder, muttering her apologies before they silently filed out, the others bowing their heads before disappearing into the corridors of the palace.

Heimdall made the gesture of respect, nodding his head to Loki as he left. "My King," he said, bowing before striding out of the Treasury, leaving Loki alone with the relics and artefacts, which had dulled noticeably.

With a heavy heart and aching soul, Loki closed the doors to the Treasury, taking a deep breath as he faced them before spinning around and marching off into the centre of the palace.

He needed Willow.

 **~O~O~O~**

 **And so there we have it, folks. Leave a review if you like it, constructive criticism is appreciated if you feel I need it. I probably do if we're going to be one hundred percent honest.**

 **Until the next spontaneous and quite sporadic update!**

 **Littlestladybug**


	10. Chapter 10

**I was feeling productive, okay? Two chapters in as many days is a bit whacked, I know, but despite the fact that my Year 12 exams are coming up, I haven't got that much homework, so I'm free to write as much as I want, which means more story for you guys (my loyal readers who still don't leave reviews- I will resort to begging, as shown below).**

 **Please, please, please, please, please, please, please,** ** _please_** **leave a review! They are always received with joy, that much I promise you.**

 **On with the story!**

 **~O~O~O~**

Willow had stumbled across a garden near Loki's rooms, and had been sitting on the green and gold bench beside the pond. A smile had spread across her face when she saw the colour scheme of the garden. It appeared that Loki's favourite colour was green- the same colour as his eyes. It was one of the many similarities they shared.

Multicoloured fish swam in circles, darting in and out of sight, following the same routine over and over. She briefly wondered if they were aware of a world bigger than their tiny pond, like she was now aware of Asgard- the size of her own realm dulling in comparison to the mightiness of the place she now resided in. Then she remembered that they were fish, so probably not.

"Lady Willow?" a confused voice asked. "What are you doing out of your bedchambers? Should you not be resting after your change?"

Willow turned around to see a blonde-haired, tall, blue-eyed man wearing armour kind of like Thor's standing there behind her. His hand rested lightly on the hilt of the sword at his hip.

"Don't you mean _Loki's_ bedchambers?"

The man sighed, motioning toward the empty space beside her. "Do you mind if I sit with you?"

She smiled, and he took into account her red-rimmed eyes- probably from crying hard for goodness knows how long- as she nodded slightly.

"Be my guest."

They sat in silence for a while, the man occasionally glancing at Willow as she stared stony-faced at the pond and the dancing fish.

"I see you did not take the news of being accepted into Asgard as a goddess too well," he eventually remarked.

"How else was I supposed to take it?" Willow snapped, her tone laced with bitterness. "'Welcome to Asgard- the home of the Norse Gods. You mortals had no idea that is existed, and surprise, you're married to the God of Mischief. Oh, and by the way, you're not human anymore!'?"

The man smiled. "Loki maintained that it was the only way to save you."

"I never asked to become a god," Willow said, looking at him sadly. "I was quite happy to die, to live out my mortal life, however short it was going to be."

"Yes, well, with Loki that is never an option. He cares deeply for you, Lady Willow. I have never seen him act that way for anybody before, and I've known him since we were children. That's about four millennia," he added, upon seeing Willow's unimpressed face.

"I've only known him for a month, and he married me," Willow muttered, staring at the fish and absentmindedly kicking at the ground.

The man's eyes widened significantly as he stared at her in disbelief. " _One month_? It took me decades to earn Loki's trust!"

"Well, there's always an exception to the rule, I guess."

Willow self-consciously ran her fingers over the pointed tips of her ears.

He grabbed her fingers and smiled at her gently. "It means that you are exactly what he has been searching for all these years. He loves you, that much I am sure of."

Willow stared at him, her eyes filled with pain. "I told him that I wished I had never met him," she said hoarsely, staring at the pond.

"I'm sure he deserved it," the man said. "He was possessive of you, shouted a lot and played the 'you would have died' card, yes?"

She nodded. "It was justified. I do not like being seen as a damsel in distress or objectified. Ever."

He chuckled. "Noted. I'm sure you had many questions? Did Loki answer any of them?"

"Nope. I was too busy yelling at him about my ears," she said with a small smile.

The man grinned and the pair lapsed into silence, staring at the fish as Willow tried to formulate a question.

"If I'm a goddess, Fandral, does that mean I get a title?"

"Title?" Fandral asked, confused by her question. "Like 'King'?"

"No," Willow laughed. "Like 'Thor- God of Thunder' or 'Loki- God of Mischief and Lies'. That sort of title."

"Those come with time," Fandral smiled. "You may have to wait a while, but you will eventually receive one."

"All I can hope is that it isn't something off-putting. That could prove to be disastrous."

They sat in silence for a minute, the silence not awkward but comfortable, friendly.

"He made a good choice in you, Lady Willow. You are kind, intelligent, witty, and dare I say it- quite beautiful. No wonder Loki was so willing to marry you," the warrior said eventually.

Willow grinned. "Thank you, Fandral. Is Thor around? I really want to speak with him about something."

The smile faded from Fandral's face. "I am afraid that Prince Thor has been banished to Midgard, Heimdall will not let us use the BiFrost, and Loki has forbidden us from leaving the Palace unless we have his permission."

"He grounded you?" Willow laughed, then noted the frown on Fandral's face. "What has Loki got to do with it?" she inquired.

Fandral looked at her as though she had grown a second head.

"Haven't you heard? The All-Father is in the Odinsleep. Loki is Regent King until he awakens."

 **~O~O~O~**

 **Please leave a review if you like it, constructive feedback is always appreciated! In fact, any review is always appreciated!**

 **Until the next update!**

 **Littlestladybug**


	11. Chapter 11

**So, guess what everybody? Exams are officially done! So now, while I decide what to do in my post-exam, no routine life, I will try to update as often as I can. Although, the temptation to be lazy and sleep and do nothing is overwhelming. Let me know what you think of this chapter and if it's any good.**

 **As a side note, I do actually appreciate reviews, because it shows me that people like my story enough to want to read more and take the time to let me know so. So, if you like it, a review would be much appreciated!**

 **Now, on with the story!**

 **~O~O~O~**

Loki found her sitting in the gardens near his rooms by the pond- the one that had the enchanted fish Loki had accidentally created all those years ago when he had begun learning how to do magic. She was sitting with Fandral.

The fact that she was sitting with the known player of Asgard didn't sit too well with Loki, but he realised that she didn't know Asgard all that well, and didn't know who was who.

The warrior- after seeing Loki standing at the edge of the garden looking decidedly uncomfortable- stood up and said something to Willow before he walked away.

Fandral clapped Loki on the shoulder. "She is truly amazing, King Loki. Look after her, or you'll have me to deal with," he murmured as he left.

Loki quietly approached the woman on the bench beside the pond, hesitantly sitting next to her. She glanced up at him before returning to stare at the pond.

"I heard about your father," she said softly.

"He is _not_ my father," Loki said through gritted teeth. "I am _not_ Asgardian, I am Jotun. I am adopted."

"Right. Whatever floats your boat then." Loki was startled by her lack of care at his statement. Willow was such a loving and caring girl- this was entirely out of character for her. For some reason this angered him more than anything else.

"He took me from my home! And treated me like a second-rate son for most of my life! I was never going to get the throne- why would he give a child of his sworn enemy the right to rule the Nine Realms?" Loki yelled. "He took my happiness."

The two sat in silence for a moment.

"Does he love you?" Willow finally asked quietly, still not looking at Loki.

Loki nodded. "Yes, almost as much as he loves Thor."

"I was in foster care," Willow said. "While my father was still alive and I still had relatives around. I was put in foster care when I was six."

"So, you understand where I'm coming from then?" Loki asked gently.

"No Loki, I don't. Did Odin not raise you? Did he ever tell you that you were a mistake? Did he beat you?"

"No," he replied quietly, staring at Willow- whose gaze remained firmly fixated on the pond and the dancing fish. "He did not."

She shuddered with the cool breeze that drifted through the gardens, but Loki realised that it was her mentally fighting with herself over telling him something or not that was making her shudder.

"Willow. You can trust me, okay? That's a promise."

She took a deep breath as she prepared herself.

"My mum died a few years after I was born. We moved shortly after that- I don't think that my dad could deal with being in the house that she had died in. He turned to drinking to help him deal with the pain of him losing her. He kept me locked in the basement of the new house. I don't even know how he managed to hide my existence for as long as he did. He got angry when he was drunk and took it all out on his punching bag: me. When it got really bad he would throw me against the concrete walls and shout at me about being a mistake, being worthless- all manner of things. He liked to hurt. He really, really, _really_ liked to hurt."

"Willow," Loki breathed, something in his chest clenching.

"Then, when I was about five and a half, a social worker came to talk to him about why I wasn't in school, and returned to the house later with police officers and a warrant to search the place. They found me suffering the effects of one of the particularly bad nights."

Loki inhaled sharply. The fact that she had gone through so much pain cut him to the bone. He took her hand in his and squeezed gently.

"I had a couple of broken ribs, a concussion, lacerations to my back, sustained blood loss. I was severely dehydrated, malnourished and my psychological state was not particularly desirable. I started to have panic attacks, and at age six I was an absolute psychological mess. I was in care until the Carlyle family took me in. They just needed the money, and hurt me whenever I had any kind of breakdown. One of the boys that they had with them- Clint- used to look after me. He was the only one who would stay with me and try to ground me. He was the older brother I never had."

She smiled into the distance, but then her expression changed.

"Then he left. Escaped from it all. Said that he would come back for me but never did." A tear ran down her cheek. "It got worse after that."

Loki pulled her into his arms. He didn't even want to imagine what 'worse' could possibly be. Willow, despite her tears and trembling body, continued with her tale.

"My father was in jail for three years and decided to fight for custody of me. The court didn't even look at the evidence and stupidly granted him monthly visitation rights. Once a month I had to deal with the man who had beaten me to within an inch of my life. He was nice at first- especially when the social worker was present- but then he began to hurt me once more. Nobody believed me, and it kept going. Until that night that you found me."

He glanced up at him, tears seeping out from beneath her lashes and running down her face.

"Believe me when I say it could have been worse," she murmured.

Loki reached out and gently wiped her tears away with his thumb, cradling her face in his hands.

"I am so sorry, Willow," he whispered softly as she leant into his touch.

"I'm sorry. For shouting at you, making you feel as though you had done something wrong by saving me. I was just… scared."

Loki smiled. "I actually expected more of an outburst from you, Willow," he said.

"I'm too tired for that," she retorted, and grinned up at him.

Loki chuckled and pressed his lips to her forehead, sending tingles through her body. She yawned as she stared at him.

"I think it is time for bed," he announced, picking her up bridal style and carrying her down the halls to their room. She yawned again and curled into him as he pushed open the door, gently placing her on the bed and pulling the blankets up over her. As he turned to leave, she grabbed his hand.

"Stay with me," she said sleepily, smiling happily as he clambered into bed beside her. He thought he heard her sigh contentedly as he wrapped his arms around her. She nuzzled his neck and he pressed his lips softly to her forehead.

Willow drifted off in a matter of minutes. He watched her sleep, looking angelic as she moulded herself to fit against his body shape comfortably. He rubbed her arm gently, his other hand playing with her hair.

He and Willow were the topic of the palace- just today he had heard a maid exclaim that she never envisaged Loki doing anything for a mortal, much less sacrifice a piece of his soul for one. And Loki had to admit, if somebody had told him that he would want to marry a mortal three months ago, he would have laughed in the face. Why would he- Loki, Prince of Asgard- want to marry a member of one of the most pathetic species in the Nine Realms?

But now, as he watched the sleeping form of Willow in his arms, he realised that the loss of part of his soul was not a sacrifice, but a gift. Because, with Willow in his life, he was truly blessed, and having her there with him was the one thing he wanted most in the world.

 **~O~O~O~**

 **My English teachers have always told me to show, not tell, but there is Willow's backstory. And a bit of Willow and Loki, which I always like to add because it's cute.**

 **Please leave a review if you like it, constructive feedback is always appreciated! In fact, any review is always appreciated!**

 **Until the next spontaneous update!**


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